Combination os uteri-locating device and medical applicator



J. A. KIRK Oct. 30, 1934.

COMBINATION OS UTERI LOCA'IING DEVICE AND MEDICAL APPLICATOR Filed June 18, 1934 INVENTOR Patented Oct. 30, 1934 COMBINATION 1,978,611 3 s UTERI-TLOC'ATING DE- VICE AND MEDICAL A PPLI CATOR John Andrew Kirk, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 18, 1934, Serial No. 731,092

This invention relates to improvements in a vaginal applicator, a device for Various uses in the medical and surgical arts and more particularly to an instrument in the science of gyne- -col0gy, for the effective treatment of uterine disorders such as diseased 0s and other ailments. The invention embodies improvements involving combined mechanical means for locating the cervix uteri without the use of vaginal illumination, and, having effected this, of applying selfcontained medication in jelly or powder form directly to the spot requiring medication, without the liability of loss or waste of the medicated ma- N terial.

In, the medical profession it is a well known factthat in many women the os lies distant from the major labia and out of reach of the fingers; that it is imbedded in a mass of lobes, folds and other vaginal tissue; and that its position in the io ceiling of the vagina varies greatly even in the same person from time to time, even during the same day, making its exact location difficult or impossible to ascertain in such cases without vaginal illumination or the use of instruments. '25

The effective medication of afflicted parts is therefore diflicult or impossible except by flooding the surrounding healthy parts with medication in the hope that some of the medicinal material will reach the desired spot. 30-

b1e material and also kept in an aseptic condition, free from angles, sharp edges such as might cause injury to delicate membranes, and also free from openings or crevices which are liable in use to furnish lodging places for foreign or undesirable matter; a device capable of vaginal insertion without the need of any secondary appliance or manipulation, and which can be readily inserted and placed by a physician, but which can also be easily inserted and placed by the patient for self-application when no physician is readily available, through which the efiiciency of the device for intra-vaginal medication is increased.

Other objects of my said invention, which is designed with a view to efficiency, economy, and

simplicity of construction, will become more apparent from the description hereinafter following, which covers a preferred embodiment of thesame, reference being had to the accompany-. ing drawing in which- Figure l is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a plan view. 1

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end view takenon line 44 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on line 55 of Figure 1. 7

Like characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

l is the stem of hollow construction, provided at one'end with a screwed portion 2 adapted for connection to a compressible bulb or collapsible tube3 of conventional form adapted to contain" the medicament which it is desired to employ, while the other end is provided with a screw cap 4 or other suitable closure. Surrounding the stem 1 and in spaced relation to the screw cap 4 is the cup-shaped member 5 which is in general of hollow, spheroidal shape having a relatively thick edge 51 at its point of connection with the stem, the said edge being of relatively hard rubber or other suitable material and terminating in a thin edge 52 of rubber or other comparatively soft material.

The edge 52, instead of being circular, is made in the form of a helix terminating in a peak 53 which is slightly rounded in shape and connected by an inclined edge 54 with the lower portion 55 of the helix.

The stem 1 is bent at 11 to an angle of approximately ten degrees, as a result of which the device, being inserted into the vagina and rotated in the direction of the arrow 6 in Figures 2 and 4, will move in a gyratory path, as indicated in broken lines in Figure 1, so that with slight pressure it will automatically locate itself around the os uterus and thereby ensure proper application of the medicament at the required point.

It will be observed that the direction of the rotary or gyratory movement is such as to cause the inclined edge 54 to proceed in advance of the helical portion 52, so that the peak 53 acts as an antenna or feeler serving to direct the applicator past various obstructions until it reaches the desired position. By this arrangement, the applicator may be easily and quickly inserted without any special skill on the part of the operator.

It will be understood that, before insertion, the screw cap or closure 4 is removed, so that all that is necesary after insertion is to press upon the bulb or collapsible tube 3 so as to discharge the medicated material to the amount required.

Thus, great economy of material is effected since it is applied directly to the required part, and after withdrawal of the applicator the screw cap is replaced so as to retain the residual material and prevent the access of dirt or foreign matter thereto.

It will be observed from the foregoing that I have provided a device which is eminently suitable for the purpose intended, and which is entirely self-contained, and while I have herein described a preferred form of the device, it will be understood that various changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a hollow cup-shaped member having a substantially helical edge terminating in a peak adapted to be moved in advance of the body of the helix and to guide the member into position.

2. A device of the character described comprising a hollow stem having at one end a container for material to be applied and proximate to the other end a hollow cup-shaped member having a substantially helical edge terminating in a peak adapted to be moved in advance of the body of the helix and to guide the member into position.

3. A device of the character described comprising a hollow stem having at one end a container for material to be applied and proximate to the other end a hollow cup-shaped member having a substantially helical edge terminating in a peak adapted to be moved in advance of the body of the helix and to guide the member into position, the said member at its junction with said stem being of relatively hard material while its edge is of soft material.

4. A device of the character described comprising a hollow stem having at one end a container for material to be applied and proximate to the other end a hollow cup-shaped member having a substantially helical edge terminating in a peak adapted to be moved in advance of the body of, the helix and to guide the member into position, the said member at its junction with said stem being thick and of relatively hard material while its edge is of soft material and of reduced thickness.

5. A device of the character described comprising a hollow stem having at one end a container for material to be applied and proximate to the other end a hollow cup-shaped member having a substantially helical edge terminating in a peak adapted to be moved in advance of the body of the helix and to guide the member into position, the said stem intermediate its ends being bent to an obtuse angle and being provided with closure means at its discharge end.

6. A device of the character described comprising a hollow stern having at one end a container for material to be applied and proximate to the other end a hollow cup-shaped member having a substantially helical edge terminating in a peak 105 adapted to be moved in advance of the body of the helix and to guide the member into position, the end of the said stem projecting within the cup member and being provided with closure means.

JOHN ANDREW KIRK. 

